Burnt
by Bonzodog
Summary: You will kill her?" the Torment asked.' Skulduggery and Valkyrie had a plan, one to save her life. But what would happen if the plan went wrong? T, Valduggery.
1. Chapter 1

**Just an idea I had. Title is a reference to the 2nd book's title. First 'serious' SD fic- hope you like it!**

**- Jess x**

"You will kill her?" the Torment asked.

Skulduggery risked a glance at the real Valkyrie, who was now hidden by the shadows. He sagged. "Yes."

He looked back at the reflection of the girl. She was standing silently, as straight as she could, tears in her eyes. It was impressively lifelike.

"Then by all means," the Torment said, "kill her."

Skulduggery hesitated, then took his gun from his jacket.

"I'm sorry, Valkyrie," He said softly, keeping up the charade.

"Don't talk to me," The girl said. "Just do what you have to do."

"That looks like protective clothing," the Torment commented. "Be sure to shoot into her flesh. You wouldn't want me to think you cheated after all."

Skulduggery grit his teeth a little, tried not to look directly at her as she parted her tunic. He told himself it was all part of the act, but the reality was different. He didn't want to see himself kill Valkyrie Cain.

"Please forgive me," he said, then aimed the gun at the girl and pulled the trigger.

The gunshot rang out. The girl's body jerked and her eyes widened. She stepped back then fell awkwardly to her knees, clutching the wound. Blood trickled from her fingers.

Valkyrie Cain's reflection fell forward, her face hitting the ground.

Skulduggery looked down at her. "She was an innocent girl," he whispered, making sure the Torment could hear.

"She had Ancient blood in her veins," the Torment responded, "and so was a fitting payment for the information you require. The Grotesquery is hidden in castle ruins, on the hill in Bancrook. Detective? Can you hear me?" Skulduggery raised his head slowly.

"I wonder if you could get there before Vengeous," the Torment continued. "What do you think?"

"If you're lying…" Skulduggery began. He really, really hoped the Torment wasn't lying. He did not want to have done that for nothing.

"Why would I lie? I asked you to kill the child and you did. I keep my bargains."

Pleasant stood over the reflection's dead body. After a moment, he hunkered down and picked it up. "Scapegrace," he said. "Back to the car."

Scapegrace laughed. "What, do you think I'm nuts? I'm staying here."

"No. I'm taking you back."

Scapegrace grinned, and looked over at the Torment.

"Why are you looking at me?" the Torment asked.

Scapegrace's smile faded. "What?"

"There was nothing in our bargain concerning you."

"But I can't go back!" Scapegrace cried. "He'll put me in jail!"

"You seem to think I care."

"Scapegrace," Skulduggery said, in a voice devoid of any human emotion. "Get back to the car. Start walking." He needed to get back before the Torment realised something was wrong, and that Valkyrie was still alive.

Scapegrace shuffled off, leaving only Skulduggery, the Torment and the reflection.

"I wish to thank you, Detective." the Torment said. "I look around at this world, and what it's become, I look around at my fellow sorcerers as they huddle in the shadows, and I realise now that I have been waiting. Do you see? I have been waiting for a reason to live again, to emerge from my dank and squalid cellar. I have a reason now. I have a purpose now. For years I have slumbered, but now I am awake. You have awoken me, Detective. And we shall meet again."

"Count on it." Skulduggery responded. The Torment smiled, then turned his back and walked away. Skulduggery waited for him to be a safe distance away, then began to run back to the car.

He caught up with Scapegrace and walked beside him, carrying the dead girl in his arms. Scapegrace looked afraid. He probably doubted he would survive the journey back to the Sanctuary. As far as he knew, Skulduggery had been forced to kill what was probably his only friend, and there was no one else around for him to take it out on. They got to the car and Skulduggery laid the girl's body carefully in the boot then looked back at the town. The Torment was gone from sight and the town looked empty now, as night fell.

"Well, we did it." Skulduggery said, happy to joke now the Torment was out of earshot. Scapegrace frowned, but didn't say anything.

"This has been a good day so far, all things considered," He continued. "I have the location of the Grotesquery _and _I got to kill Valkyrie, which is admittedly something I've wanted to do since I met her. She can be incredibly annoying. Have you noticed that?"

"Um."

Skulduggery caught a glimpse of Valkyrie's black clothing out of the corner of his eye, and kept talking. "She hardly ever shut up. I pretended to be friends with her, but honestly, I just felt sorry for the poor girl. Not the brightest, you know?"

"You're such a goon" said a voice from behind, and Scapegrace whirled around and squealed as Valkyrie Cain walked up, hands in her pockets and a smile on her face. "Did you get what you need?"

"Bancrook," Skulduggery said, ignoring him. "Vengeous probably has Vile's armour by now, but the Grotesquery should still be in Bancrook. We got what we need.

"You're dead," Scapegrace said in a small voice. "You're… you're lying in the boot."

Valkyrie frowned. "Am I? I didn't think I was."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but her _reflection _is lying in the boot." Skulduggery interrupted.

"No," Scapegrace said. "No, I've seen reflections, you can _tell _if something's a reflection…"

"Not this one," Skulduggery told him. "She uses it practically every day. Over the past year, it's kind of…" Skulduggery's voice died down as he realised Scapegrace was still shaking his head.

"I don't care what you say." He said firmly. "That wasn't a reflection."

Skulduggery sighed. "Valkyrie, tell him."

Valkyrie raised her head. "Tell him what?"

Skulduggery was confused. "That you're-" He paused. "That you are-" He paused again, and the next time he spoke it was cautious. "You _are, _aren't you?_"_

"I'm what?" Valkyrie asked innocently. Skulduggery froze for a second, before grabbing the hem of Valkyrie's tunic.

"What are you doing?" She yelped.

"Hold still for a second." He said, searching for something. He knew that he was being idiotic, but surely it wouldn't hurt to check…

Ghastly had, as his clothing got more popular, begun to sew the shop's name onto the insides of the clothes he made. It was a habit that he was often teased for, but it stopped people from taking credit for his hard work. Skulduggery was fairly certain Valkyrie's tunic had had "Bespoke Tailor's" sewn into it.

He found what he was searching for, and fell silent as he read it.

s'roliaT ekopseB

He looked back up into the girl's eyes- the reflection's eyes. This girl was the reflection.

Which made the dead girl in the boot Valkyrie Cain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah, with any luck this'll be a full fic. I don't think there's many SD angst fics about- it's time that changed! Lol. Anyway, thanks to everyone that reviewed and I hope you like the next (painfully short) chapter.**

Millions of thoughts raced through Skulduggery's mind. How had he made the mistake? How could he live with himself killing his companion, and probably best friend? Why hadn't Valkyrie _said_?

Scapegrace cleared his throat, and Skulduggery's head snapped up. He took a second to compose himself, and when he was calmer he spoke in an even voice.

"Scapegrace. Get out."

Scapegrace blinked. "What? Where?"

"Anywhere."

"Why?"

Skulduggery's voice stayed calm. "In a few seconds, I am going to hurt something or someone. A lot. I dislike you, but you don't deserve that."

Scapegrace gulped. "I'm not scared-"

He ducked just in time. Skulduggery flexed his hand and sent a concentrated burst of air towards the space where Scapegrace's head had been. The tree it hit crashed to the ground.

"I-" Scapegrace began.

"_Now." _Scapegrace yelped, and started to sprint in the opposite direction.

"I'll go to the Sanctuary." He muttered to himself. "Nice safe jail cell…"

"What should I do?" A quiet voice asked. Skulduggery didn't meet the reflection's eyes.

"Follow him." He muttered. "Make sure he gets back there."

"And after that?"

Skulduggery hesitated. "I don't know how you're still here." He admitted. "The person you're a copy of is dead. This has never been done before. I'd say the safest thing to do is to get back inside the mirror." Skulduggery heard the reflection begin to run after Scapegrace, staying as quiet as possible. He stood there for a minute, not knowing what to do next. Then it clicked in his head.

"Kenspeckle!" He exclaimed, before tumbling into the Bentley and slamming on the accelerator.

---

After the longest car ride of his life, Skulduggery sprinted into the lab, cradling Valkyrie's body to his chest.

"Kenspeckle!" He yelled. The grouchy scientist emerged from a nearby door, and barked out a greeting.

"I'm here, I'm here. Now, why-"

Skulduggery spun around, and Kenspeckle fell quiet as he saw Valkyrie's slumped and bloodied form, and gasped.

"What did-"

"There's no time for that." Skulduggery said impatiently. "Can you save her?"

Kenspeckle took Valkyrie from Skulduggery, and lay her down on a nearby table. Her deep brown eyes stayed closed, her body unmoving.

"She's gone." Kenspeckle said softly.

"I am fully aware of that. Is there anything you can do?" Kenspeckle was shaking his head. Skulduggery continued, getting faster. "No potions, or spells? She didn't even die that long ago, so there _must _be something you can do."

"Skulduggery, there's nothing I can do for her."

"There has to be." He said urgently. "She has a family to get back to, a life. She can't just stop living it."

"You should have been prepared for that from the moment you accepted her as a companion."

"This is not my fault-"

"Not your fault!" Kenspeckle exclaimed. "Not your fault? The girl is dead, Skulduggery. She shouldn't be, but she is. She was shot by what looks like close range, so I'm imaging it was your doing. Some agreement? Some bargain? Did you think you could get her back afterwards, no harm caused? It's sick."

"I didn't-"

"You didn't what? Didn't know? Didn't _think_? Yes, that sounds like you."

"Kenspeckle-" Skulduggery tried one more time.

"Go." He said flatly. "Go now. I will say only one thing more to you. I may not like them, you may not like them- but there is one group alone who can help you."

"Necromancers." Skulduggery breathed.

"Yes. They may be able to bring Valkyrie back."

"Thank you, Professor Grouse." Skulduggery said sincerely, collecting Valkyrie up in his arms again.

"Don't think for one second I am doing this for you. I have made my feelings for your treatment of Valkyrie very clear. She is only a girl, a young girl, and she shouldn't be doing any of this. But I suppose an inappropriate life is better than none. But if this doesn't work- I don't want to see you again."

"I understand." Skulduggery nodded.

Later that night, after her body had been laid on the floor, the process of Valkyrie Cain's resurrection began.


	3. Chapter 3

**Raven is a kind of OC… so don't take her :P**

**As always, hope you like it!**

Several phone calls later, Skulduggery arrived at his destination. It was close to midnight, and Valkyrie's body was still in the back of his car- becoming more 'dead' with every second that passed.

* * *

Raven Sable was not the most original name on earth, but to her it mattered little. Like most Necromancers, she had little time for material possessions and even less for people's opinions.

Raven lived alone, with no one for company but her cat. The cat had died 19 years ago, but thanks to her was still alive and perfectly happy.

As one of the few females in Necromancy, she was used to negative things being said about her. Very few women chose to study death magic, and the ones that did were regarded with a degree of contempt. She was more commonly known than most female Necromancers, due to her studies into resurrection. She had stopped the White Cleaver from destroying Tanith Low, because it was by her most used method that it was brought back.

One day, Raven would be killed in the trio of Necromancers fighting the Faceless Ones. It would only take a click of one of their fingers, and her body would literally turn inside out. She would die instantly. Solomon would take care of her beloved cat, mourn at her grave and inform the Council that she had died. But whilst the battle was often talked of, she was "the female necromancer". Nothing more.

But that was not for a long time after this.

* * *

Raven was more surprised by somebody visiting her, than by that somebody being a skeleton and a girl's corpse.

"Can I help?" The shadows of Raven's cloak whirled around her slim body.

"Are you Miss Sable?" The skeleton asked her in a velvety voice.

"Yes, I am. May I have your name?"

"I am Skulduggery Pleasant."

"And your associate?" Raven was out of practice when it came to people, and it showed.

"Valkyrie Cain."

"I take it your visit involves her?"

He nodded. Raven sighed, but opened her door wider.

"Come inside."

* * *

Skulduggery looked around. There was a threadbare couch, a bookcase packed full of black and brown books, and a table in the middle of the room. A slim black cat sat cleaning itself on the table. Raven followed him in, and shooed the cat down.

"How did she die?"

Skulduggery blinked with the suddenness of the question. "Pardon?"

"I said, how did she die?"

"She was shot." Raven sighed again, and gestured to the table.

"Lay her down there." When Skulduggery had, she continued speaking.

"Now that's not very helpful, saying she was shot. Was it a bullet? If so, a mortal bullet or a dark bullet? Who shot her? Did they mean to? How long ago was it? Why? Really, I'm not psychic here."

"Mortal bullet." Skulduggery said. Raven rolled her eyes.

"By the unhelpfulness, I can assume this was you. Or at least your fault."

"Yes." He said quietly. "I promised to kill her in order to receive information I needed. We, spawned a reflection of her to be killed in her place. I thought-"

"You thought you were shooting a reflection?" Raven interrupted. He nodded. "How could you not tell?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Then this will be my last. How?"

He hesitated. "I… I'm not sure. She uses- she used the reflection a lot more than she should. It's _grown_, almost- it's so close to human that it's scary. I wasn't looking as I did it, I was concentrating about what might happen if we were caught lying. I should have noticed, but she never said anything to give it away." Skulduggery paused for a second. "Can you just help her now?"

"That depends. Why should I?"

"You said no more questions."

"This is less of a question and more of a demand."

"I'll pay you." Raven laughed.

"Skeleton, I am a Necromancer. I have no want for money. Who even told you I could help your friend?"

"Solomon Wreath." Raven froze.

"Yes, it was Solomon. Ask him if you don't believe me, because against my better wishes I called him. He told me he had a friend, an old friend. A clever girl. Pretty too, he said." Raven blushed a little, the colour defined against her pale skin. But then she scowled, and brushed her thick black hair to cover her face.

"And he said that he liked you a lot." Skulduggery continued. "And that he thought you were the only person talented enough to help. He said he was sure you wouldn't let me down. I suppose I could always tell him you didn't-"

"Stop talking." Raven growled. She had been in love with Wreath for a while now, and she hated the skeleton for realising that. "I have heard enough. I will do it."

"I thought you might."

Raven had taken Skulduggery into a room out the back. It was dark, no windows to let in light. Skulduggery lay Valkyrie's body on the bed next to the wall. Raven lit three black candles, and closed the door. A soft glow oozed only around Valkyrie and Skulduggery's bodies.

"Impressive."

"Yet simple. The light is dark light. It senses dead matter, and clings to it." Raven explained briskly, removing her cloak from her shoulders. "Hold that."

Skulduggery caught the cloak, the shadows drifting into knots around his wrists, that formed as quickly as they disappeared.

"Don't try and repeat after me, by the way." Raven said. "Well, unless you'd like to go insane."

"It sounds interesting, but I'll have to pass this time round."

Raven nodded, then began muttering, under her breath but getting louder. Skulduggery didn't recognize the words, but knew well enough to listen to the Necromancer's warning. She clapped once, then twice, then spat a phrase out that Skulduggery would have sworn no human could pronounce. Raven turned to the shelving on the wall, and ran her hand along the bottles and books. She pulled a dark green bottle out, and examined it.

Slightly interested, Skulduggery began to ask a question. "How can you-"

"I am a Necromancer, skeleton." She snapped. "Everything I can do, I can do better in the dark. No more talking now."

Raven picked up a nearby syringe, and filled it painstakingly with the liquid. It was even darker than it had seemed in the bottle, and the thick green sludge quickly filled the syringe.

* * *

Raven had told Skulduggery to remain quiet, but Skulduggery had never been very good at being quiet _or _following orders. And so, he couldn't help himself from asking a final question.

"Will she be like the White Cleaver?"

Even in the dim light, Skulduggery could see Raven's confused look.

"Excuse me?"

"The White Cleaver. It was a Cleaver that was killed and brought back. It nearly killed a close friend of mine- two, actually. But one's currently a statue, so I'm not sure we're counting him. Anyway, he couldn't get hurt, couldn't die."

"Yes, I know now." Raven nodded. "We worked on that. Got him to turn back at the last minute and saved Miss Lowe. But no, your friend will not be like that. In fact, that was a fairly old method of resurrection. If they had had access to a single on of the books you see now, then there would have been no stopping it."

"Good to know." Skulduggery said, his tone calmer. He winced a little as Raven plunged the needle into Valkyrie's arm. The liquid leaked into her bloodstream until the needle was emptied. Raven placed it on the side, and turned to Skulduggery.

"And now we wait."

"For how long?"

"Could be five minutes. Could be five days. Resurrection isn't predictable."

"Thank you for doing this, Raven."

"Do not thank me." Raven said, irritably. "I know what people say about me. I live alone with my cat and work on resurrection spells in my free time. But I am not the witch people make me out to be. I do not expect thanks and I do not receive them- and I do not require your gratitude for a simple, 5 minute task." She paused for a second. "But I suppose it _is_ appreciated."

Skulduggery nodded with a knowing smile, and Raven scowled at the idea that somebody knew how her mind worked.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but she was stopped by a movement in the corner of her eye.

She whipped her head around, scared somebody could have infiltrated her home, but saw no one. She relaxed. Of course nobody was there. Nobody would be able to get past the multitude of traps she had set up.

But then she saw the same glimpse again, and this time turned completely around. Still nobody. She was scolding herself again for paranoia, when the corpse of Valkyrie Cain jolted upright and let out a coarse, deafening scream.


	4. Chapter 4

**Bah, it's late, I know. I'm not sure if I'm happy with how this chapter turned out… hmm. Anyway, I hope you like it.**

The scream stopped as quickly as it had began, and Valkyrie's body fell on to the bed, where it began to shake. Skulduggery, concerned, reached out a gloved hand to touch the girl's arm. The second he did so, she stopped moving and slumped down on the table. He glanced a look at Raven, who didn't seem worried.

"She would have stopped on her own. But thank you for slowing that down."

Raven yawned, and flicked a light switch. A bright yellow light flooded the room instantly, and Skulduggery's sight flickered in the sudden change.

"And now, we wait." Raven told him.

"I thought we'd already done that."

"We have. Resurrection can be fairly boring at times. If you aren't attempting to breed something new, interesting or unstoppable- it's dull."

"How long do we wait for this time?"

"Well, the main resurrection period is over. The body's no longer dead. It's alive, but only very, very basically. The heart beats, and soon the lungs will breathe, but the mind isn't functioning. At the moment, the potion I injected her with is trying to heal any wounds her body has suffered. You can take her back to wherever you came from, if you so wish. It's the same as it was before, time wise."

"Could be minutes or months." Skulduggery guessed.

"Yes. But, judging by the hasty first waiting time, I'd say you won't be waiting long."

"In that case, Miss Sable, is it alright with you if I waited here? I would rather not move her in her current situation."

Raven looked irritated, but agreed. "Very well. You may stay."

"Thank you." Skulduggery leant against the table, watching Valkyrie.

"Do I have to stay with you, or can I trust you not to touch anything?"

"I'm not a Necromancer. I doubt I'd understand a word, I've never tried to learn it." Raven frowned.

"Don't go starting now, then. Every book on these shelves is cursed, charmed or otherwise protected." On that happy note, Raven stepped neatly through the door and it shut behind her.

Skulduggery looked back at Valkyrie's body, and felt a pang of guilt shoot through him. He reminded himself that this would work, and the guilt faded a tiny amount.

He jumped as blood suddenly trickled out of the bullet wound. He waited for it to stop, but blood kept pouring.

"Miss Sable!" He called out. Skulduggery was a proud man, but he felt that some things required forsaking pride. "Raven, I need you."

"Is she bleeding?" A clear voice called back from behind the thick door.

"Yes, and it won't stop."

"Good." Before Skulduggery could ask, she continued. "Blood is pumping properly now. The wound will heal itself- as long as you stop worrying and leave her alone. I know what I am doing, Mr Pleasant."

"Somebody's a little angry." Skulduggery murmured, but only under his breath. And yes, Raven was right. As he kept watching, the wound slowly healed, the hole closing up. Except for the blood covering her, Valkyrie looked fine.

For five minutes or so, Valkyrie stayed in this state- Skulduggery assumed the potion was fixing internal damage. All the same, it was dull to watch.

And then she moved.

It was only a tiny amount, a slight twitch. It wasn't anything like before- it was like Valkyrie was stirring in her sleep. But then she moved again, and then she was opening her eyes.

"Welcome back." Skulduggery said, happiness showing in his voice. Valkyrie muttered something, then frowned. She tried again.

"What… happ… ened?" She said, slowly and carefully.

"What's the last thing you remember?" He asked.

"I remember us going to see the Torment… I remember him saying you would have to kill me… and I remember your plan with the reflection. But everything after the Torment called us back… nothing." It took Valkyrie a long time to get the words out. Raven walked in as she finished.

"Excellent, excellent." Raven said briskly. "Well, you had better get going. Can you stand, girl?"

Valkyrie scowled. "I am not _girl. _I have a name."

Raven smiled a little. "Pride. Always a good quality. Anyway, can you stand?"

Valkyrie experimentally swung her legs over the side of the table. She put her weight on them, and was relieved to see they took it.

"Yes."

"Then you may leave." Skulduggery nodded, and Raven escorted the two of them out.

"So, what _did _happen?" Valkyrie burst out.

"Raven's a Necromancer- she resurrected you."

"I died?" Valkyrie blinked. Skulduggery was silent for a moment, but after a few seconds, he spoke.

"The Torment killed you." He said bluntly. Raven widened her eyes a little, but said nothing.

"The Torment?"

"Yes. I knew it wasn't the reflection there, so I didn't shoot you." Skulduggery tried to keep his voice even.

"Sorry about that, by the way." Valkyrie said apologetically. Raven smiled, amused. The girl was expressing remorse whilst her killer lied? People would never cease to amaze her.

"Why didn't you say?" Skulduggery asked.

"I don't know! At first I didn't realise the switch had gone wrong. and I couldn't say, could I? Anyway, you guessed it was me."

Raven shooed them out of her front door.

"She will be fine. She will sleep for a long time when you get her home, but other than that, everything should be as before. Come and find me if there are any unexpected side effects." Skulduggery thanked her, and Raven closed the door briskly on him. Valkyrie and Skulduggery got into his car.

"I seriously _died?_"

"I'm afraid so." Skulduggery said.

"Did the Torment still give you the information?"

"Yes, he did. Castle ruins, hill, Bancrook. We'll look tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"He's probably got it anyway. Besides, Raven said you would sleep."

"Yes, but you can still look."

"No. You should sleep in my house, I want to keep an eye on you." Valkyrie smiled gratefully, and Skulduggery felt a guilty feeling- even stronger than before- build inside him.

_It's for the best, _he told himself.

* * *

A while later, Skulduggery had Valkyrie asleep on the couch in his lounge. It was a fairly comfortable couch, and so Valkyrie was happy enough- besides, she was asleep the second she lay down.

Skulduggery himself was outside. He had his disguise on because he was in plain view, and was watching the sunrise with something like triumph. It wasn't often that somebody beat death, and came away with no consequences.

The sun was barely even risen when a loud scream came from inside the house.

"Valkyrie!" Skulduggery yelled, running inside the house. "Are you okay?"

There were a few seconds of silence. And then Valkyrie's voice came again. "No, not really!"

"It's okay, I'm here." Skulduggery pressed the door handle down.

"No!" Skulduggery was a little taken back. "You can't come in!"

Skulduggery paused. "What's wrong with your voice?"

"My voice?"

"Yes. It's deeper…"

"I know." Valkyrie sounded afraid.

"I'm coming in." He decided.

"Okay, okay! Just give me a second!" Skulduggery could hear fumbling. "Okay, you can come in."

Skulduggery ran in, and looked around, concerned. On the sofa, wearing only the blanket wrapped around herself, sat an attractive brunette girl. She looked about… 16? 17? Skulduggery didn't know. He also didn't know who she was- but he had a horrible suspicion.

"Hello." He said, gently.

"Hi." The girl- Valkyrie- said back.


End file.
